1/01/2017

Willie Dixon - Bassology

Can you imagine what music would be like without such hits as “Hoochie Coochie Man”, “Little Red Rooster”, “Spoonful”, “I Ain’t Superstitious”, “I Can’t Quit You Baby” or “My Babe”? Neither could most. Thankfully, we don’t have to. Little did the world know that in 1915, the person who made all of this possible would be born.

Willie Dixon has been called “the poet laureate of the blues” and “the father of modern Chicago Blues.” He was indisputably the pre-eminent blues songwriter of his era, credited with writing more than 500 songs by the end of his life. Moreover, Dixon is a towering figure in the history and creation of Chicago Blues on other fronts. While on staff at Chess Records, Dixon produced, arranged, and played bass on sessions for Chuck Berry, Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Litter Walter, Sonny Boy Williamson II, and others. In no small way, he served as a crucial link between the blues and rock ‘n roll.

Some of Dixon’s songs went on to reach an international audience in the 1960s, when they were popularized by such British groups as the Rolling Stones, Cream, the Yardbirds, Jeff Beck, and Led Zeppelin.